Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a stern warning to moneylenders and individuals holding national identity cards as collateral, threatening prosecution if they do not return them.

• National ID cards are not legal tender and its use as collateral is a violation of citizens' rights.
• The warning comes from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
• The practice is common among informal lenders and prevents access to essential services.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has ordered private entities, including hospitals and shylocks, to immediately release national ID cards held as collateral for unpaid bills or loans. Failure to comply will result in prosecution.

• Murkomen declared that national ID cards are not legal tender and cannot be used to settle debts.
• Key individuals involved include Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
• The directive comes amid government efforts to increase voter registration for the upcoming 2027 general election, with 152,398 national IDs reportedly uncollected nationwide.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has issued a stern warning against moneylenders and others holding onto national ID cards as collateral, declaring them illegal and not legal tender.

• The Cabinet Secretary stated that national IDs are not legal tender and cannot be held in exchange for goods or services.
• Murkomen directed all individuals holding someone's ID as security for a service or good to return them immediately or face prosecution.
• The warning was issued during the inauguration ceremony of Nuu Sub-County in Kitui County, an event part of the government’s commitment to bringing services closer to the people.